Your Guardian Demon
by xxfckitskayleexx
Summary: Her sisters have been kidnapped without a trace, and Kaoru is left alone in a city of Hunters to protect their secret. However, somebody already has their eyes on the young girl, caught in a rather vulnerable situation without her siblings to help her. "You shall soon realize that you're standing a bit too close to the flames of sin, my love. You will get burned."
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

_Alright, so while you read this, please keep this in mind: I just got a steroid shot in the hip, so I'm drugged up on medicine that makes me feel all goofy. I'm not sure if it will affect my writing through silly mistakes, but if it does, I'm sorry. Please just correct me in a review so I can go back and fix it! c:_

Tips: When you read this, try to think of them in an anime form of your choice. I try to be as descriptive as I can without it being an annoyance, so I hope it helps!

_Song Inspirations:_

Monster- Meg & Dia  
Eyes On Fire- Blue Foundation  
Evil Angel- Breaking Benjamin  
Comatose- Skillet

* * *

Another slow day inched by in Citiesville, the sun breaking into an evening glow that illuminated the tops of the skyscrapers. In their large shadows, lights gleamed from cars below, and small black dots of humans rushed about.

Always in a hurry. In her eyes, they were simply wasting away their lives. Living in a blur of happiness and heartbreak, wrapped up in drama and business. From the inside, it was hectic and routine. But from an outside perspective, it was all too amusing.

A soft laugh escaped her velvet lips as she sat back on the heels of her bare feet. The shadowy figure was perched on a balcony ledge some fifty stories above the hustle and bustle below. Her weight shifted with her and a pale hand easily curled around the railing beneath her. It wasn't tight enough to hold her if she tipped over.

As if she hadn't done this a million times before.

The soft lighting that filtered through the sliding glass doors behind her illuminated her back, revealing black tribal tattoos. They peeked over her shoulder blades and neck from a tank top, creeping up her jaw and down her arms to twist and curl over her hands.

Her long black hair shone a deep blue in the light, falling lazily to her mid back in straight locks. They were secured in a high ponytail, held back in a dark blue ribbon.

From the front at a distance, the light from behind made her little more than a shadowy silhouette. Easily mistaken for a trick of the eye, she was quickly dismissed and attracted little attention.

But a closer look revealed that the young woman was probably no more than seventeen. Her pale skin contrasted sharply with the black tattoos, hair, and clothing that she wore. The tattoos continued over her shoulders and collar bones to disappear into her shirt. If they continued lower, her cargo pants hid them.

Her face was fair and beautiful, though it held a degree of harshness in it that would have scared away any who dared to approach her. Emerald eyes glimmered faintly below dark lashes and thin brows. They remained focused on the crowd below, flickering to and fro. Not a lash was batted as a few loose strands of raven hair slipped from her ponytail to tickle her forehead and eyes.

Her high cheekbones complimented her over all lean and small figure, giving her a more attractive appearance. Her soft lips had straightened into a small line of concentration. As her hair whipped in the breeze, her ears were revealed. Each adorned a small black ring in the bottom, followed by three tracing up the lobe. Finally, on the left side, a simple black stud adorned the tip of her cartilage. It broke the balance, but didn't seem to overthrow its effect.

On either wrist, a worn black leather bracelet was secured with barbed wire. Etched into the soft fabric were undecipherable characters that clearly weren't of any modern language, but they were very much present.

A slow breath escaped her lips and she leaned back, uncurling her fingers from the railing. Her weight reacted as she began to fall back onto the balcony, only to set a foot behind her. She landed with a graceful thump and lowered her other foot to keep her balance. Both hands were shoved into her pockets as she cast one final look over the cityscape, then turned and promptly went inside.

* * *

The condo was designed with the contemporary touches of glass walls overlooking the downtown area, a spiral staircase leading to the second floor, a loft area with a small ladder, and stainless steel appliances in the small kitchen. The living room was made up of a glass table in the center over a rug, a large black sectional curling around the length of the room, and a large flat screen suspended on the wall and tilted to be seen perfectly from any perch on the sectional. Beneath it, a fireplace sat dormant, still lingering with the faint scent of warm coals from the long winter nights.

Off to the side, the kitchen was separated by a black granite counter and bright red bar stools. The kitchen was updated with nice matching countertops, red accent walls, and black cabinets. The fridge and freezer, dishwasher, stove, and microwave, suspended above the stove to save space, were all stainless steel and void of any smudges.

On the other side of the living room, a door opened up into a library room. Each wall was covered in bookshelves that stretched up to the ceilings, each packed full. In the center of the room, a black leather ottoman sat in the center of two matching sofas, creating a comfortable sitting area. The room was lit warmly by fairy lights strung up over the shelves, and small lamps positioned on the walls. In the far corner of the room in a large loft area, accessible by a black ladder, carved into the wall, a comfortably cushioned area was set up, the back and left wall covered with white, grey, black, and pink pillows. A thick pink comforter adorned the top of what was clearly a bed space. On the right wall, custom fit to sit into the wall, a large flat screen was turned off for the moment. A bathroom was located off of the front hall that led to the living room. Then, back to the living room. Off to the left of the doors to the balcony, the spiral staircase to the second floor was decorated with more strings of fairy lights on either railing. They were made of cast iron, a small pattern engraved in each step. Her bare feet padded softly up them as she climbed to the second floor.

The second floor was made up with almost the same layout and size as the first floor. The room it entered was clearly a game room of sorts. Another big flat screen and sectional of black leather, with an ottoman to prop feet up on. Beneath the television, multiple consoles sat unattended to. They ranged from the basic GameCube to the Xbox 1 and Playstation 4.

Then, two bedrooms broke off of the main room. One door was painted white, the other black. She shuffled quietly across the room and pushed through the black door.

Never would have guessed, right?

The room was darker than the rest of the house, void of the cute light decorations and glass walls that the others had. Her walls were gray and the few windows were covered with black curtains. The bed was black, covered in a green comforter and multiple pillows strewn randomly over it. On one wall, several trophies glimmered in the faint light of the television, which had been left on since she had left.

In the flickering light of the television, her smooth back was slowly revealed as she lifted her shirt off. From behind, her tattoos were revealed as well. The curled down her back in a strange mirrored pattern over either shoulder blade, slipping beneath the waistband of her pants. Her toned stomach was almost bare, save for the tattoos that crept around the curves of her breasts and slithered down her ribcage. They slid over her hip bones to also disappear into her pants. Unclasping her bra, she tossed it into the hamper and pulled a clean T shirt from her dresser.

Sliding it on, she then unbuttoned and slid her pants off. The shirt fell to her mid thighs, under which revealed slender legs. Each one was tainted almost like a canvas, holding the artwork that was almost etched into her skin as though with satin. They swirled down her thighs and shins, stopping over the tops of her bare feet.

As she lifted both arms above her head to stretch, the shirt crept up just a fraction more. However, it didn't reveal anything. She slid the ribbon out of her hair, allowing it to pool over her shoulders and back in soft locks. Setting the ribbon on her bedside table, she flopped onto the bed without much further adieu. Her arms folded behind her head as she looked up at the ceiling, illuminated faintly by the flickering television screen across the room. Unlike most of the other rooms, her's was much cooler, filtered with a steady flow of cold air from the AC vents. It lifted a strand of black hair from the blanket in a soft gust of air, displacing it to land over her forehead.

Giving a quiet grumble, she aimed a small puff of air from her cheeks up to blow the hair aside. Her breath formed a small visible cloud in the cool air as it did, quickly dissipating into nothingness.

She sighed and rolled to lay on her side, looking over at the wall opposite her bed.

It had been two weeks since her sisters had gone missing without a trace. Two weeks of searching the entire city and the area around it, but to no avail. Even the planes surrounding this mortal world were void of any signs of her sisters. She was beginning to lose hope in ever seeing them again. As her eyes closed, her teeth caught her lower lip for a brief moment before she emitted another sigh. Another night of sleeping alone in the large, silent condo.

The burning beneath her eyelids lulled her into another dreamless sleep, her breaths slowly evening out.

And on the other side of the window, dark orbs glowed faintly through the window. The curtain was slowly drawn back by an unseen force, revealing a better look at the slender beauty on the bed. A tongue lapped at piercings lips, revealing sharp teeth. A dark chuckle rumbled from a deep voice, and the curtains slowly lowered back into place.

"You're _next_, my love."

With the softly growled promise fading in the wind, the orbs were gone. The air in the room noticeably lifted, and the girl on the bed gave a soft sigh in her sleep before settling once more.

* * *

_Okay! So I know I could have written this better, but like I said before, I'm not quite feeling on top of my game tonight. I do hope you all enjoyed it, though. The next chapter will be a lot more interesting and a lot less descriptive about such small things, I promise. Please rate and review!_


	2. Chapter 2: Awaiting Dawn

_So here's another chapter! Expect better updates and more chapters now that summer break has finally come my way. No more long waits. c:_

Songs for this chapter:

I'm Alive- Shinedown

_Memories- Within Temptation_

_What Have You Done- Within Temptation _

* * *

Some are accustomed to waking to sun shining through the windows. Perhaps birds chirping in the background, and an eager animal above you, begging to be fed and accompanied by its master. Or perhaps even just a blaring alarm clock to announce the morning in a city where the skyscrapers are simply too tall to give any clues of the sunrise.

But, well, that isn't the case, as this isn't a story book, my friend.

Sirens blaring outside and flashing lights bright enough to penetrate the thick curtains over her windows were the first things that she heard. Then the heavy banging on the door- heavy enough to shake the floor- woke her with a sudden start. Her bright green eyes opened in wide, unseeing orbs as she scrambled out of bed.

She could hear the screams down the halls, and the shouts to evacuate.

Instincts pulled her towards her balcony as she stumbled out of her room, just barely tugging on a pair of jeans as she did. But she veered herself towards the stairs and then towards the door as any normal person would have.

Underneath the door, she could see shadows of feet running past, and multiple flashlights gleaming brightly. She cursed quietly under her breath as she shrugged on her black coat and slid on a pair of her boots that had been left by the door. Her black hair was tossed back over her shoulders as she stood up and jerked the door open, almost meeting the fist of a police officer. His eyes, creased into squints with wrinkles of age and years of witnessing things most people didn't, widened as he jerked his hand back to keep from hitting her in the face.

Perhaps the crinkled eyes would have seemed friendlier. Perhaps it would have been comical.

Funny how a dark hallway ridden with panic and screams can change your outlook on small things in a matter of seconds.

But the man didn't even part his lips to speak as their eyes met in a bright glance. The girl's dark brows were drawn together in more annoyance than concern. The old man's pale eyes were stilled as time seemed to freeze between the two. A silent look, of annoyance from her own end, and disbelief from his own, passed between the two before she stepped by him to follow the crowd of people down the staircase. She stood out in the way she didn't ask questions and didn't rush and shove.

The man stared after her until her form disappear among the many others, his hands trembling over his flashlight. The pounding of his heartbeat hammered in his ears, a silent beat that her boots seemed to echo on the floor in time with.

* * *

The air outside was cold and clustered with people. Far too much light for her enjoyment. She squinted into the darkness and slid a hand back to find her phone in her back pocket to check the time. Instead, she found it empty. Another silent curse escaped her soft lips, cursing herself for the stupidity of simply leaving her phone behind.

Leaving evidence behind.

She looked around, finding a girl who she had seen a few times in the halls. Short blonde hair, hazel eyes; a pretty girl, but older than herself. Lydia or something of the sort. Her hand settled over the girl's shoulder, causing her to jerk and look over her shoulder. She offered a weak smile and a nod.

"What happened here? What time is it?" She asked, not returning the friendly gesture. Her hand fell back to her side.

Lydia-Or-Something-Of-The-Sort emitted a sigh and gave a nod towards the park across the street, where it was a bit less crowded. They were already being ushered away from the apartment building as is, caution tape blocking off access to the inside again. The two walked over in silence. Lydia-Or-Something-Of-The-Sort took a seat on the bench, looking down at her hands.

"At least give me the time."

The blonde jolted slightly and looked up. This was the first time she had ever spoken with the dark haired girl. She had seen glimpses of her in the halls, always surrounded on either side with her sisters. At least, she had assumed they were siblings. But the faint hint of a smile that she had remembered seeing on the girl's face was replaced with a small grimace, and her eyes were hard. Cold, even.

She lowered her head to look at her watch.

"2:16," she said quietly, looking back up at the girl whose name she didn't even know. "I woke up to some weird noises in the apartment beside mine. I walked over because it, well, it wasn't right. Something wasn't right."

She took in a shaky breath.

"Nobody answered when I knocked, and the door was unlocked. She never left the door unlocked. When I walked in, everything seemed perfectly fine. But when I turned on the lights.."

Another shaky breath. She received a small nod to continue from the dark figure of the girl in front of her.

"She was laying there shaking. Her face.. Oh god, her face. There was blood everywhere. Nobody was around, and there was no evidence of what had happened. I- I asked her to uncover her face. She lowered the rag and.." She lifted a hand to cover her mouth as her eyes closed tightly, tears wetting her cheeks, "her eyes were gouged out. There was no skin. Her teeth were.. on the floor. She wasn't even able to scream. There was so much blood."

The girl before her grimaced at the description. One didn't simply do that to themselves for fun.

Casting a glance over her shoulder, she saw several police officers walking over. In the background, a body bag was being loaded into an ambulance. There were sobs and screams of horror, mixing with the ringing of sirens.

She sighed and turned to walk down the sidewalk, leaving Lydia-Or-Something-Of-The-Sort to answer to the officers. Her hands found the pockets of her coat as she began walking aimlessly.

It was fairly clear that she wouldn't be getting back into her apartment any time soon.

* * *

"Do you think she's trying to lure us into a trap?"

The blonde sighed softly, watching the small figure hundreds of feet below walk away from the scene of the horrid crime.

Such a horrible crime, really. A true shame.

"No, she's just a goddamn idiot to leave herself so vulnerable."

The owner of that reply stepped out of the darkness. Her crimson eyes shined in the darkness, perfectly matching the hue of blood. She seemed to have bathed in the color. Her auburn hair was held up in a ponytail with a bow of the color. Her slender form was cloaked in the color, covering her arms and her mid thighs with it. Her soft pale legs ended in the color, lacing up her legs from sandals.

And it dripped from her fingertips and lips.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I mean, after what happened with her sisters, I would hope she wouldn't be so stupid."

The blonde stood up from her perch. Apparently being several hundred feet in the air on the ledge of a skyscraper didn't bother the girl in Sapphire. She was cloaked in the color in the way that the other wore the blood. It draped over her shoulders and settled over her legs in the fabric of a dress, though longer that her companion's. Her midsection was wrapped with a sash of white, the only other color besides her hair. The golden locks fell past her waist, held in low ponytails on either side of her head with sapphire ribbons. They matched her eyes and her own shoes, sandals that disappeared under the fabric. Her slender form backed from the edge.

As the crimson haired girl stepped forward, she nudged the blonde forward again with her.

"Either way, we have a task at hand. Would you be so foolish as to suggest that we do not carry it out for fear that she isn't quite as vulnerable as we think?" She raised a brow, challenging the blonde to say another word.

Another sigh came from the girl in sapphire. She shook her head.

"Alright then. Let's get to it."

The bloodied woman stepped forward, her body being pulled down by gravity as she simply stepped off of the edge. She let her arms spread out and listened to the fabric and her hair billow out around her, cutting through the wind. Her heart slowed as she twirled effortlessly. Light caught her body as she fell past a lit window, illuminating the black tribal markings that crept up her legs and collarbone, disappearing beneath the fabric.

Then it happened.

Wings ripped the fabric at her back and caught the wind with sudden force, carrying her up in a swift arch. A few black feathers drifted into the wind from the force at which she caught herself, but they dissipated into nothingness in the darkness. No traces of her remained.

The blonde looked up and emitted a final sigh, this one softer than the others. She spun on her heel as she leaned back, following the girl's lead as she fell off of the edge of the building. Her sapphire eyes watched the sky twinkle above her, the stars growing smaller as she fell. And then her eyes closed and darkness enveloped her.

* * *

_You know the usual. Drop a review to let me know if you liked it!_


	3. Chapter 3: Dawn's Never Coming

So I'm going to be in Alabama from Thursday until Sunday/Monday, and I'm going to Daytona for a week later this month for vacation. I'm going to try and fit in some updates between now and then, and get the story really rolling. Hope I haven't lost too much attention- it gets interesting in this chapter. c:

Songs for this chapter:

Narcissistic Cannibal- Korn

Decode- Paramore

Karakuri Burst- Kagamine Rin and Len

Light 'Em Up- Fallout Boy

* * *

Emerald eyes watched the air from her lungs inflate in soft puffs of air before her, then fade into nothing. Then it was replaced with another puff as she exhaled again. Her hands brushed over the front of her jeans to wipe the sweat from her palms. It was too quiet for her liking. Blinking, she looked around at her surroundings.

The sirens behind her had dissolved into nothing over the bustle of the city around her. Or rather, behind her. She had somehow wandered into the much less admirable sections of Citiesville. With every step, she heard a small critter scurry off into the darkness around her. Bloodshot eyes watched her from the allies. The stench of smoke and garbage seemed to only grow as she walked on.

Sighing softly, she shook her head and looked forward again. She had been navigating through the streets now for a while. How long she had been walking, she wasn't exactly sure. The city lights streaked the sky in a way that she couldn't tell if dawn was coming, or if she was merely looking at an illusion of dawn.

Her mind finally began to take over as she side stepped a broken street lamp, tucking her hands in her pockets again.

She had never been an only child, as much as she would have liked to have been. Perhaps less heartache would have taken her at such a young age. But no, she had siblings, as had been mentioned earlier. Three sisters, to be exact.

An older sister, strong willed and intelligent. She had gorgeous auburn hair that fell to her calves in straight locks. Memories of tying her hair into various bows still flooded the girl's mind even now, so many years later.

Her eyes had been the strangest and most uncommon color one could possibly imagine. A bright and vibrant hot pink. It honestly rivaled the color of bubble gum.

Ah, pink.

Pink had been her favorite color. She had always dressed in that color from as early an age as the girl could remember. Pink ribbons, pink dresses, even a pink cast when she had broken her arm. She certainly had some obsession for the color.

A soft chuckle escaped her soft lips, emitting a visible cloud of heat in the cool air. It broke her from her train of thought. She looked up.

Her boots skidded on the loose gravel as she halted in her steps. Stray locks of black hair blew forward in feeble attempts to obstruct her view. Her eyes widened and her lips drew in a tight line. Pale fists clenched in the pockets of her jacket as her lithe body stiffened.

"Oh, how long has it been, darling?"

A feminine voice as sweet as poison and soft as leather seemed to envelope her. Invisible tendrils wrapped around her lungs, squeezing all of the air out of them. It left her winded and at a loss for words.

A softer voice emerged from the darkness in a soft giggle. Pale fingers materialized in the air, touching to smiling lips. Golden locks shifted in the wind, blowing away to reveal sapphire eyes.

"Oh my. You act as though you aren't happy to see us," the voice spoke again, this time from the lips of the other woman. Midnight black wings tucked behind auburn hair, disappearing into pale skin. The tribal markings on her skin glowed a dark red before fading as well. Her dress billowed around her as the wind seemed to suddenly pick up. It carried her hair away from her crimson eyes. Bloody lips curled into a grin.

Regaining her composure, the midnight haired girl slowly shrugged off her jacket. She tossed it off to the side on the debris littered ground. Her body was more aware than stiff now. With slightly bent knees and both hands up by her face, her eyes flickered between the two. She made no effort in pushing her hair back anymore. It was all to make this difficult for her.

It was all to weaken her defense.

"You're a fool to come here, Kasimé," she spoke up, her eyes training on the crimson girl. Her lips curled into a faint smirk. "Or should I say Berserk? You don't really expect to fool anyone with that guise looking like that, do you?" Her dark brows raised in a mocking way, like a chastising parent.

Berserk's blood stained lips curled back to reveal gritted teeth.

"And you, Sora," the girl turned to the blonde girl, who had been fairly silent so far. Her smirk only widened. "Brat, you aren't exactly one to trick any of us. Even in a kimono, you look like you belong in an alley gangbang or a strip club." She laughed harshly.

Color flushed Brat's cheeks and her brows drew in anger.

"How _dare _you-"

An arm across her midsection restrained Brat from throwing herself at the girl before her. The arm belonged to Berserk. She was beginning to change, her appearance morphing in a blur.

Her crimson hair was pulled back in an unruly ponytail, falling to her knees. She kept it tied back with a large red bow that was tattered and dirtied from years of misuse. Her bangs were similar to someone the girl knew, though they were longer and unkempt. Her true form wore a pair of Black low rise shorts and a dark long sleeved shirt that ended just above her fingertips. On either side of the shorts, a black leather strap looped from the front belt loops to the back, crossing over each other at her rear. She also wore a pair of black boots that ended at her knees, and black socks that ended at her upper thighs. They were secured with a garter belt that disappeared under her shorts. The handles of two black pistols protruded from holsters on either of her hips.

Smirking slightly, she settled her hands on her hips.

Following her sister's lead, Brat reluctantly gave up the urge to throw herself at the girl in favor of changing forms. The ribbons that held her hair back in the twintails darkened to a near navy blue and grew, hanging in tattered remnants around her shoulders. Her straight hair fell to her hips just briefly before being shifted yet again by the wind. The kimono dissipated into nothingness and was replaced by a much less admirable outfit. This one consisted of a black short skirt and a navy undershirt that was unbuttoned to reveal cleavage. The sleeves were rolled up to her elbows. An unbuttoned black vest was worn over that. She wore the same boots as Berserk and the same socks with the garter belt. Instead of the straps looping around, a single strap was secured at her left hip and again on her right hip. It hang back over the backs of her thighs, just below her rear. A large sniper rifle was strapped across her back, the strap coming across her shoulder and midsection.

"It's such a shame you aren't in the mood to talk, Kaoru," Berserk drawled, her fingertips brushing over the cool metal of her gun handle. Her boot crunches the gravel beneath it as she stepped forward. "You know, since we all appear to be giving up our identities here, why should I spare yours? After all.." Leaning forward, her nose brushed the tip of Kaoru's. "I've always preferred Buttercup. Such a cute little name for a cute little girl."

The ice cold rage that filled Buttercup's chest clawed at her like an animal eager to be uncaged and let loose.

So she unlocked that cage deep inside and the animal came out. It lit her eyes with fire and spread color through her pale features. Tension spread through her shoulder blades and her white knuckles burned as she clenched them tightly. Her black hair whipped back like a curtain, hiding her expression as she drew her head back and slammed it forward with all of her might.

A cry echoed through the deserted street as Berserk stumbled back several feet, clutching her nose tightly. Crimson liquid seeped through shaking fingers. Her eyes were lit with rage. Buttercup slowly looked up, satisfaction written all over her face as she took note of the damage she had caused. Shaking the dull ache out of her head, she stood up straighter. Her hands came up to push her hair back and her lips curled into an evil smile.

"Surely that isn't it. I've gone _so_ long without a good fight. I never thought it was possible to miss the sound of bones crushing. The warmth of blood, the rush of adrenaline, the aching pleasure of a good kill." Lifting a hand, she looked down at it. Her straight teeth were revealed as her grin widened. Clenching a hand, she looked back up at the two. Berserk was enraged and Brat looked unsure now. "Surely you two can give me a decent fight. I'd hate to have to just kill you both off and go through all of the trouble of obtaining a new identity for nothing."

From the shaking of rage in Berserk's shoulders and the look of uncertainty on Brat's face, Buttercup knew she had given off the effect she was aiming for.

"Kill her!" Berserk barked, both hands jerking down to the holsters at her sides.

Her eyes widened, unseeing as she stared forward. The thumping of her heart seemed to muffle her hearing. Her shoulders jolted before the shaking took over. She slowly lifted her hands to either side of her head, making no effort in hiding the trembling in them.

"I suppose you're looking for these."

Buttercup's lips pursed as she examined the gun in one of her hands, the other trained with deadly accuracy at Berserk's forehead. She turned the gun over in deft fingers and nodded silently to herself. Her emerald eyes glinted in the moonlight as she looked back up at the two girls before her. Brat had stopped in mid reach for her rifle. Her own hands raised in the same way Berserk's had.

"Pitiful. And to think you two have had three years to track me down, gear up, train for this-" She lifted the other gun, training it on Brat. The laugh she gave was almost disbelieving. "I can't believe it was so easy to unarm one of you, punk out the other, and now I've got both of you pinned. While one of you is still armed!" She laughed louder, shaking her head.

Buttercup's form relaxed slightly as she fell into silence. Her hair had settled against her back. The wind had died down as quickly as it had stirred up. She smirked and jerked forward, her fingers sliding over the triggers. Berserk's jaw clenched and Brat visibly jolted.

"Fucking pitiful. Get the hell out of here, both of you." Lowering the guns in her hands, she threw them at Berserk's feet. The skidded to a halt, stirring up a cloud of dust. Berserk's eyes shifted up as she knelt to pick up the guns.

They weren't trained on Buttercup any longer. A grin curled on Berserk's lips as she straightened.

Buttercup just barely caught the large shadow behind her before a sudden blow to the back of the head silenced everything. Her eyes widened in an attempt to grasp the fleeting image of the ground approaching rapidly as it faded into darkness. She felt a weight on her lower back as the ground embraced her and the world disappeared into oblivion.

* * *

Aye, you oughta tap that review button and leave me a review if you liked it. c;


	4. Chapter 4: A Visitor In The Night

Miyako.

_No, that isn't right. _

_Bubbles. _

_Ah yes, Bubbles. She had been the youngest sister among the girls, and had no problem showing her kind heartedness towards any and every body. Her smile was always bright and present. She had golden blonde hair that fell in waves and only served to accent her baby blue eyes. _

_Baby blue. The color of the sky on a cloudless day. The color of the ocean at its prime. _

_The color she wanted her prom gown to be, and her wedding bouquet. _

_The color she had worn to their father's funeral._

* * *

Buttercup jolted awake, her eyes wide yet unseeing in the darkness around her. She groaned softly as her head ached with a steady throb. Her throat burned and her stomach was tight with panic. She didn't even have to touch a hand to her eyes to know that tears had welled up in them. But she wouldn't cry, as it wasn't exactly the time. Instead, she forced herself to sit up and look around. The creak as she did and the shifting softness beneath her hands clued her in on the fact that someone had been considerate enough to leave her on a mattress.

Considerate enough to leave her on a mattress, but not considerate enough to use a sedative to knock her out. The ache in her head reminded her of that.

In an attempt to push the pain aside, she slowly rose to her feet. The least she could do was figure out her immediate surroundings, then decide on a course of action.

It's funny, isn't it? Imagining a character so many portray as brash and hot headed actually remaining calm in a situation like this? But with her sisters taken from her, she had to adopt their traits quickly to keep herself from going mad. A bit of Blossom's level headedness was keeping her calm right now. Bubbles's mercy had made her drop the guns instead of shooting the two on the spot.

A small smile curled on her lips at the thought. They would be proud of her if they could see her now.

Shaking her head and pushing back her dark hair, she began walking forward. Her boots echoed around her on the cold cement floor, yet they came back shortly. Advanced hearing told her that the room was small and enclosed. Sure enough, when she reached her arms out, her fingertips touched the cool surface of a wall in front of her. Although she wasn't claustrophobic, the idea of being closed in unnerved her. As it would anyone, she was sure. But she had to make sure. Taking in a slow breath to calm down, she began walking to her right. Her fingertips skimmed the wall just in front of her. She counted each short footstep in her head. Fifteen footsteps forward, she reached a corner. Turning to her right again, she followed it in the darkness. Each wall equaled twenty footsteps, and she didn't feel any signs of a door or exit.

By then, it was clear that the girl was growing frustrated. She clenched her fists tightly and sat down on a corner of the mattress. With her elbows on her knees and her head tucked between her hands, she sighed and closed her eyes.

What was she going to do?

* * *

She still remembered the first time she had set foot in the library, and the feeling of amazement that washed over her. When she had been nothing more than a child, she had always dreamed of one day having a vast library like the Beast from Beauty and The Beast had. A rolling ladder to take her up several stories of literature had always been a small dream she kept tucked away.

But this-

This was amazing.

Five story high walls made of built in book shelves made up the large room, and a glass ceiling let in the warm glow of sunset. It made the room so much more inviting than one might think. A spiral staircase crept up each floor gradually, leading to the small platform at the top of the fifth story of bookcases. It was a small nook built into a corner of the room, overlooking the entire library and the entrance. The wall was made of glass that curve into a corner, and curved higher up to join the spherical glass dome that made up the roof. The nook was cushioned and even had a small throw blanket and pillows to recline on set up on it. It was a perfect retreat, and had been her own little retreat for the past week or so.

It was a way to get away from him.

And seemingly right on cue, the doors below opened and her attention was brought from her thoughts. "Blossom?" A deep male voice called out.

She sighed softly and folded her book to save her page. Brushing a strand of soft auburn hair behind her ear, she rose to her feet. She was a tall girl, standing at 5'7" if you didn't count her ribbon. Her faintly tanned skin had paled since she came to this place, but she looked otherwise healthy. She had eaten well, and hadn't been treated all that badly. Of course, that didn't justify that she had been taken from her home without her consent and brought here, but she knew it could have been worse.

Blossom had matured into a fair young woman. With the same soft features that had been generously distributed among herself and her sisters, she was undeniably beautiful. Her hair had been combed and pulled back in a neat braid for the evening, held back with a pink ribbon. She had even pinned her bangs back to reveal her softly arched brows and eyes. Her hot pink eyes that hadn't dulled one bit, despite everything she had gone through so far, and everything she would endure. She had decided to wear an oversized pastel pink sweater and white leggings. She had even worn fuzzy pink socks. One remained bunched at her mid calf while the other was pulled up to her knee.

"What is it, Brick?" Her voice came out with an edge that she hadn't even decided to use. She stiffened as she awaited the response form below. A moment of silence ensued. The tension that settled in her shoulders was unfamiliar. She wasn't accustomed to nervousness.

She just barely heard the low chuckle below. She didn't have to look over the railing to know he was shaking his head.

"Want to see your sister?"

The tension seemed to dissipate with the flip of a switch and Blossom was running down the stairs before she could even nod.

* * *

It could have been minutes, or it could have been hours. Either way, when a panel of the wall began to glow, Buttercup had jolted to her feet in an instant. Her face was lit with the dark purple light that pulsed in the wall, illuminating her hard expression. She was fully expecting to finally meet her kidnappers face to face. Her body stiffened in anticipation as she waited.

But what stepped through that glowing panel was something nothing in her life could have ever prepared her for.

"Buttercup.."

The word was nothing more than a whisper that was barely audible in the silent space. Pink orbs met green and the world seemed to gain color again. Life had meaning again.

Hot tears burned in Buttercup's eyes as her body lurched forward. She didn't question why or how or what had happened. Honestly, she didn't want to know right now. She wanted to bask in the glow of being reunited with her sister, even if it was just for a short while.

"Blossom," she whispered tightly as her arms wound around the girl's torso. There was that subtle height difference that had always seemed to declare the redhead as the oldest. However, now it didn't bother her. She was able to take in the familiar scent that she had thought she would never smell again.

Hell, she had thought her sisters were dead.

Blossom lowered her head as her sister embraced her, winding her own arms around the lithe girl. She closed her eyes just as a tear rolled down her cheek. But she was smiling. She couldn't stop smiling.

"Wow, I-" Shaking her head, the redhead emitted a soft laugh of disbelief. "You're _alive._"

"I could say the same for you, Bloss."

Slowly pulling away, Buttercup wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. Her form straightened and the weakness that was shown was suddenly nonexistent. She smoothed her dark hair back and blinked until the blurred edges cleared and everything was straight again.

"Well, I love tear-filled reunions as much as the next guy, but I think you and I both know I have a hella ton of questions. The most important of which being-"

"Where are you?" Blossom quirked a brow and let her hands come to rest on her hips. Buttercup fell silent, a bit irritated with being cut off so curtly. But she nodded and shoved her hands in the pockets of her cargo pants.

"I don't have the answer to that."

"But I do."

Blossom seemed to tense at the voice that cut through the air from behind her. The atmosphere of the small dark room only darkened further as the crimson eyes manifested behind her shoulder. A pale hand materialized on her hip, and then a tall palm form appeared out of the darkness. Lips curled into an evil grin.

"Hello, Buttercup. I didn't think I'd be seeing you again so soon."


End file.
